Beyond Sentiment

Chapter 7: The Case of Irene Adler

I was reading in my room when I hear Aunt Hudson call for me.

I ran down the stairs and saw John carrying a delusional Sherlock.

"What happened?" I asked, helping John carrying him up the stairs.

"Oh he was hit with some sort of sleep dart."

"By who?"

"Doesn't matter at the moment."

We carried him to his room and placed him on his bed.

He was out cold in a few seconds.

"Well Buckingham palace must've been eventful," I sated and John sighed in response. "If you need anything I'll be in my flat."

I left, rolling my eyes. I thought Sherlock was a bit smarter then to get hit with a dart.

The next morning I was helping Aunt Hudson make the boys breakfast as Mycroft was talking to them about the obvious case that he had called Sherlock on. It also was what brought the two to Buckingham palace as well.

I was pouring everyone their tea as I listened to them talk. Sometimes listening was the most clever thing to do.

"The photographs are perfectly safe," Sherlock said, who when he returned, had a cut on his upper cheek.

"In the hands of a fugitive sex worker?" Mycroft asked, un-pleased.

I pretended like I didn't hear that when John looked at me.

"She's not interested in blackmail. She wants protection, for some reason," Sherlock argued.

"I take it you've stood down the police investigation into the shooting at her house? How can we do anything while she has the photographs? Our hands are tied."

"She'd applaud your choice of words. You see how this works? The camera-phone is her get out of jail free card. You have to leave her alone. Treat her like royalty, Mycroft. Though not the way she treats royalty."

Suddenly a noise sounded and it was a woman's voice. And it... I looked at Sherlock my eyebrows contoured in disappointment, but to him confusion.

"What was that?" John asked.

"Text."

"But what was that noise?"

Sherlock didn't answer and just shoved his face into the newspaper to avoid further questions. "Did you know there were other people after her too before you sent John and I in there?" He asked, changing the subject. "CIA trained killers, I think. Thanks for that."

Aunt came into the room, setting Sherlock's breakfast in front of him.

"It's a disgrace, sending your little brother into danger like that. Family is all we have in the end, Mycroft Holmes!" She said.

"Oh shut up Mrs Hudson!" Mycroft said.

I turned quickly glaring at him ready to smack him for first, raising his voice, and second being so disrespectful to her.

"Mycroft!!" Sherlock's voice boomed, sending my attention to him.

Everyone was silent, staring at Mycroft.

"Apologies," he finally said, a little embarrassed.

"Thank you," Sherlock said. "Though do in fact shut up," he whispered to her.

Once more the phone made that horrid noise.

"It's a bit rude, that noise, isn't it?" Aunt asked.

"There's nothing you can do and nothing she will do, as far as I can see," Sherlock said, once more avoiding.

"I can put maximum surveillance on her," Mycroft suggested.

"Why bother? You can follow her on Twitter. I believe her user name is @TheWhipHand. Most amusing."

Mycroft's phone suddenly started ringing.

"Excuse me. Hello?" He answered, leaving the room.

"Why does your phone make that noise?" John finally asked what we've all been thinking.

"What noise?"

The phone did it again.

"That noise, the one it just made."

"It's a text alert, means I've got a text."

"Your texts don't usually make that noise."

"Well, somebody got hold of the phone and apparently as a joke, personalized their text alert noise."

"So every time they text you-" John was interrupted by the noise.

"It would seem so."

"Could you turn that phone down a bit? At my time of life it's-" Aunt started but John interjected.

"See I'm wondering who could have got hold of your phone. It would've been in your coat."

"I'll leave you to your deductions."

"I'm not stupid, you know."

"Where do you get that idea?"

Mycroft appeared in the room again. "Bond Air is go, that's decided. Check with the Coventry lot. Talk later."

"What else does she have? Irene Adler. The Americans wouldn't be interested in her for a couple of compromising photographs. There's more. Much more. Something big's coming, isn't it?" Sherlock asked.

"Irene Adler is no longer any concern of yours. From now on, you will stay out of this."

"Will I?"

"Yes, Sherlock. You will. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a long and arduous apology to make to a very old friend."

"Do give her my love."

I was left to my own deductions of this conversation. And the only one that I had was that Sherlock was falling for a woman - Irene Adler- a woman of trouble. I left it at that.